It looks like Pat White will get his comeback into the NFL after all. After a failed attempt in the league and then a failed attempt at professional baseball, the former West Virginia quarterback is likely to get his return wish granted by the Washington Redskins. While the Redskins have starter Robert Griffin III and backup Kirk Cousins, they are considering taking on White as another mobile quarterback option.
White started to make headlines about a return to the league after working out during West Virginia's Pro Day. He was originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He was one of the first quarterbacks to successfully run the wildcat offense while in college, but Miami could not figure out how to get that to translate into the pros and ultimately released White after just one season. He then attempted a try at professional baseball before deciding on football again.
White was supposed to have a meeting with the New York Giants on Tuesday but canceled the visit after Washington showed serious interest in him. The Giants wanted to work out White after considering signing a mobile quarterback, but it was unknown how serious their interest was.
The idea of a mobile quarterback is the new trend in the NFL after quarterbacks like Griffin and Colin Kaepernick have shown success with the read-option. While at West Virginia, White set an FBS record with 4,480 rushing yards in his career, the most by a quarterback at the time. While with the Dolphins, White rushed for 81 yards on 21 attempts in the wildcat package.
His skills are best suited for the offense the Redskins run behind Griffin. It makes him a perfect backup for the team. The team currently only holds two quarterbacks on their roster. Cousins was the team's primary backup for Washington after Griffin got hurt with a knee injury. He is known more as a pocket passer. If the Redskins decide on signing White, they would have to make very little adjustments to the offense if another injury were to happen to Griffin.
The Redskins have also shown interest in re-signing quarterback Rex Grossman. He spent the past three seasons in Washington, mainly as a backup. He did start 13 games in 2011, throwing for 3,151 yards and 16 touchdowns. If Washington decides to sign Grossman, it is unlikely they will also sign White. While Grossman has more experience, White has the skillset that better fits with the changing NFL offense.